2017 Direct Energy Live Brighter Scholarship

Here at Direct Energy, we believe in helping our customers live a brighter life through their energy choices. We deliver the tools and technology necessary to help them buy less of what we sell. We also actively support and recognize people and organizations making a positive impact in their world. It's in this spirit that we announce the second annual Direct Energy Live Brighter Scholarship!

Three lucky students will win one of the three available scholarships, and all you need to do to apply is either create a video or write a 500-word essay telling us how you live brighter as a student while being a vibrant part of your community.

Here's How It Works

Essay

Write a 500-word essay responding to the following question:

Direct Energy offers the tools and technology to use energy wisely and efficiently. We help our customers take advantage of their energy choice to live a brighter life with accessible energy plans, innovative product offerings, engaging customer service, and high-end home services. How do you live your life brighter within your community?

Video

• Create a 60- to 120-second video
• Your video should begin with a 10-second full-screen "title screen" with the following information:
• Producer's name (AKA your name)
• The name of the college or university you attend or plan to attend
• The city and state of that college or university
• The title of video
• The total running time of your video (not including the 10-second title screen)
• Your video should address the following question:

Direct Energy offers the tools and technology to use energy wisely and efficiently. We help our customers take advantage of their energy choice to live a brighter life with accessible energy plans, innovative product offerings, engaging customer service, and high-end home services. How do you live your life brighter within your community?

• Submit a link to your YouTube video (please do not send us the video file)

Requirements

You also have to prove your eligibility for this scholarship in the following ways:

• Must be a registered college student for the 2017-2018 school year
• Must be 18 years of age or older
• Must be a resident of any of the states where Direct Energy offers energy services: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and D.C.
• Must have a minimum of 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale
• Must submit copy of transcripts (official or unofficial) in one of our accepted formats: .doc, .pdf, .txt, .jpg, .png. File types of any other formats will not be accepted.
• Must submit complete entry (including transcript, video link or essay, and accept official rules)
• Submit complete application online by November 30, 2017

What are you waiting for? Start creating that award-winning essay or video today and apply for your chance to win up to $5,000 with the Direct Energy Live Brighter Scholarship!

To learn more, please view the Official Rules.

Prizes

• One (1) prize of $5,000
• Two (2) prizes of $2,500 each



Scholarship FAQS




Do I have to write an essay and make a video?

Nope. You have the option to tell your story on how you live brighter in your community either through an essay or short video. You can choose either and are not required to do both.

What are the requirements for this scholarship?

The Direct Energy Live Brighter Scholarship is open to college students residing in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington D.C. Students must also completely fill out the application form and include a copy of their current transcript (official or unofficial).

When can I apply for the Direct Energy Live Brighter Scholarship?

The scholarship application must be submitted from September 1st through November 30th, 2017.

When and how will the winners be announced?

The winners will be announced on January 31, 2018 on our website. Winners will also be contacted either through email or phone.

Is there an age requirement?

Yes. Students must be at least 18 years of age or older, a current college student and reside in any of the states where Direct Energy offers energy services (Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Texas, Rhode Island, and Washington D.C.) to be eligible to apply for the scholarship.

What will you accept as an unofficial transcript?

An unofficial transcript does not need to bear a University Seal or School Seal, but it must contain all of the relevant academic information of a student, including student name, cumulative GPA, as well as school year. Your guidance counselor, student services, or registrar's office may be able to help you get an unofficial transcript.

Can I send you a file of my video?

No, all videos must be uploaded to YouTube and you must send us the link to your video. Please do not send us a link to your personal Facebook or Twitter, as we may not have the permissions to view your video. We will not contact individuals if we cannot view your video, so please ensure that the settings are correct before you send us your link.

What if I don't want to make my video public?

We absolutely do not require a public link for your video. YouTube has an unlisted feature which means that anyone with a link to the video can view it - your unlisted video will not show up in search results or on your YouTube channel page. Please keep in mind that we cannot view private videos, so be sure to select the "unlisted" option if you do not want to make your video public. To learn more about making your video unlisted on YouTube, click here for instructions.

Who is eligible for this scholarship?

Current college students of 18 years of age or older that are registered for the 2017-2018 school year and reside in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington D.C. US citizenship is not required, but we do require that you are a resident of the above mentioned states.

Can I edit my application after submitting it?

No, once you have submitted your application, we cannot make any additional edits to it.

How long should my video be?

Your video should be between 60-120 seconds.

What if I want to use music or images in my video entry?

Please do not use copyrighted property in your videos, this includes copyrighted music, having branding products in the background, etc. You can easily search for "free royalty free music" online to use in your videos, and ensure that there are no prominent or visible brands in the background or foreground of your video.

Do I need any special equipment to make my video?

All you need is a camera! With today's technology, the camera you use on your phone, tablet, or laptop is on par with many video cameras. You also don't need to worry about having access to any expensive editing software, there are many free and powerful apps that can help you edit your videos. Please don't worry too much being a video editing pro, we are more concerned with the subject matter (you!) and how you live your life brighter.

Past Winners

Recipients are selected based on their eligibility, academic performance and answer to the prompt. Here are the past winners of our Live Brighter Scholarship:

2015 Winners:

• First place: Samantha M. of Austin, TX
• Second place: Rebecca C. of High Point, NC
• Third place: Katie C. of Cape Cod, MA

2016 Winners:

• First place: Emily J. of Michigan
• Second place: Amanda H. of Michigan
• Third place: Makenna L. of Pennsylvania

2017 Winners:

• First Place: Michelle E. of Dallas, TX
• Second Place: Albert A. of Maplewood, NJ
• Third Place: Jon Henry C. of Kennett Square, PA